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Air Quality Watchdogs Flunk Audit: Gaps Exposed
20 Feb
Summary
- Pollution control bodies in NCR lack staff, monitoring, and reliable data.
- Expert report, prompted by Supreme Court, calls for regulator overhaul.
- Key monitoring stations measure fewer parameters than mandated standards.
A comprehensive report, prepared following a Supreme Court directive, has revealed substantial shortcomings in the operational capacity of pollution control authorities in the Delhi-NCR region, encompassing Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and its counterparts in neighboring states are reportedly suffering from inadequate staffing, insufficient monitoring infrastructure, concerns over data reliability, and weaknesses in enforcement mechanisms.
The expert committee's findings, shared recently after being finalized on July 25, 2025, emphasize the necessity of modernizing these anti-pollution regulators. The report calls for the adoption of advanced technologies, consistent calibration of monitoring stations, rigorous quality audits, and enhancements to laboratory facilities to ensure accurate air quality assessments.
Significant gaps were identified in the existing air quality monitoring networks. While these networks have expanded, the reliability of the data generated remains a concern due to irregular calibration and auditing of Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS). Out of 84 stations examined, many measure only six to eight of the twelve parameters specified under the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
The committee strongly recommended annual third-party performance audits for all monitoring stations. Furthermore, it proposed the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning tools for real-time data verification. The report also highlighted deficiencies in manual air quality monitoring, with mandated calibration and auditing protocols not being consistently followed.
To improve oversight, the report suggested that state pollution control boards and the DPCC establish an Air Quality Integrated Control and Command Centre. This center, to be developed in consultation with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), should feature a GIS platform and a dashboard displaying real-time Air Quality Index (AQI), pollutant concentrations, meteorological data, and AQI forecasts, complete with an early warning system.
